Working Up

by Dwayne Phillips

The latest computer, the best desk and chair, even coffee brought to you while working – these are nice, but not the subject of this post. No, the most valuable asset a freelancer has is good health.

No Work No Pay

The reason I picked good health is simple: freelancers don’t have sick leave. If we are sick for a day, we don’t work, we don’t generate content, and we aren’t paid.

One or two days in bed is bad. Worse is a lesser sickness that cuts productivity for several weeks. Those lingering illnesses reduce the quality of our products, and keep us from recognizing this slide. We don’t realize that we are sick.

No One is Immune

I know two best-selling authors and consultants whose health recently cost them six months of work. They have been successful for decades and have more resources than most freelancers, e.g. access to excellent health care. Their six-month illnesses hurt their customers more than their own careers. Nevertheless, they serve as prime examples of freelancers, health, product, and income.

I have two brothers who freelanced for ten years each. Both now suffer from poor health, and neither of them is working at this time.

Things Freelancers Can Do

Buy Health Insurance: Health Insurance is not cheap, but is available for freelancers ($100 per month for an individual). The simplest way to obtain it is to be married to someone who has health insurance from their job. Absent that, buy health insurance for as many family members as possible. At least buy health insurance for the freelancer. This isn’t selfish; it is practical. When the freelancer is sick, there is no health care for anyone in the family.

A danger of no health insurance is that minor illnesses grow into major ones. Visits to the doctor for “little things” seem “too expensive.” One of my brothers allowed little health issues became big health issues which became major health issues. He eventually went to the emergency room and will never fully recover.

Keep regular hours: Many of us become freelancers because we want to set our own hours. Fine, but set the hours and keep them. Go to bed at the same time every day. Wake at the same time every day. Eat at the same time every day.

My second brother suffers from diabetes caused by years of irregular hours. Some days he worked 20 hours; some days he slept 20 hours. Some days he ate five meals; some days he was too busy working to eat anything. This blood sugar roller coaster damaged his health.

Measure your health: I weigh myself and take my blood pressure every day. My weight stays within a five-pound range even during the Christmas-New Year’s season. I regulate my blood pressure with medicine and close attention to diet.

Measure what is appropriate for you (blood pressure, blood sugar, etc.). Weigh yourself regularly – at least once a week. Fluctuating weight is an early indicator of many health problems.

One Tool

I recommend that freelancers keep a work logbook. A text file or spreadsheet will work, but I use a paper notebook (National Computation Notebook # 43-648). Record what you do every day, hour-by-hour. (7AM woke, 7:30 toast and coffee, 8AM blog research, 12:00 nap, 12:30…) Also record your health measurements.

Review the work logbook monthly. How do the health measurements compare to previous months? How regular are your working, eating, and sleeping hours? Surges in work happen and are signs that business is good. A chaotic life, however, is not good.

This probably sounds like your parents talking (it sounds like my parents). Regardless or because of my parent’s advice, I am blessed with good health, able to work, and hoping to continue such for many years to come.